Yes. Akada has told its customers they “will eventually move to Studio Pro,” and it has committed to supporting the Akada platform through 2027. It has not published a shutdown date, so nothing has to change this season. You can take the Studio Pro path, move to different software, or wait.
This guide covers what Akada has confirmed, what it hasn’t, and how to decide. It was last updated on October 31, 2026. One disclosure: Swyvel makes dance studio software and is one of the options below, so we link to every source. Check us against them.
What has Akada said about moving to Studio Pro?
Almost everything public comes from the Akada + Studio Pro FAQ in Akada’s help center, dated May 27, 2026. Here is what it says:
- The move: “Yes, Akada customers will eventually move to Studio Pro.”
- The timeline: Akada is “committed to fully supporting the Akada platform through 2027,” and says it will work with each studio on a transition plan.
- The price: Studio Pro’s Premier plan “offers all the same features as Akada.” It normally costs $79.99 a month, and Akada customers get it for “$60/month, matching the rate you have today.” The Elite plan is $165 a month.
- Your data: Asked if data will transfer, Akada answers yes and says its teams “are building migration processes.”
- Payments: “No immediate payment processing changes are required.”
- Right now: “There are no immediate changes to your day-to-day experience.”
Studio Pro is the new name for DanceStudio-Pro. Togetherwork lists Studio Pro and Akada as brands of the same company, along with the Dance Studio Owners Association.
What hasn’t Akada said yet?
Four things matter to an owner and are not in the public FAQ. If Akada has told you more directly, go by that.
- An end date. “Through 2027” is a promise of support, not a shutdown date. No date for switching Akada off has been published.
- How long the $60 rate lasts. The FAQ gives the price but not the term. Ask whether it is locked, and for how long.
- What happens to saved cards. The FAQ covers payment processing in general. It doesn’t say whether the cards families saved for autopay carry over, or whether parents must enter them again.
- Which data moves. The FAQ says “important studio data.” Ask about balances, payment history and attendance by name.
Do you have to move to Studio Pro?
No. Akada’s plan is to move its customers to Studio Pro, but you can take your studio to any software you like. Studio Pro is the path Akada has set up for you, and it may well be the right one. Just check your Akada agreement for any notice period before you plan around a date.
Keep one thing in mind. Studio Pro is a separate product, so going there is still a software change. Staff will have new screens to learn, and you should ask whether parents need new logins. Much of that work is the same wherever you go, so it’s worth choosing on purpose.
What are your options?
You have three: stay for now, take the Studio Pro path, or move somewhere else. Prices below were checked on October 31, 2026.
| Option | Monthly cost | Who moves your data | Good fit if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay on Akada for now | $60 | Nobody yet | You’re mid-season or close to recital |
| Studio Pro Premier | $60 for Akada customers (normally $79.99) | Studio Pro’s team, per Akada’s FAQ | Akada’s features suit you and you want the fewest decisions |
| Jackrabbit Dance | From $49, based on student count | Free data import, with its setup team | You’re comfortable with pricing that grows with enrollment |
| The Studio Director | From $65, or $39 with its payments, by student count | Ask them | You want its 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Swyvel | $49, or $39 billed annually, no per-student fees | Done for you | You want a flat price and someone else to do the move |
Option 1: Stay on Akada for now
This makes sense if you’re in the middle of a busy stretch. Akada says it will support the platform through 2027, so there’s no reason to move during recital season. The risk is waiting so long that you lose your choice of a quiet month to do it in.
Option 2: Take the Studio Pro path
This is the path with the fewest decisions. The price matches, Akada says the features match, and the FAQ promises onboarding, training and migration help. Before you accept, get answers to the four questions above.
Option 3: Move to different software
This fits if something about Akada hasn’t worked for you and you’d like to fix it while you’re changing anyway. Jackrabbit has a page comparing itself with Akada, and our guide to dance studio software covers how to compare the rest.
How many Akada studios have already moved?
No official number is public, so we looked. In October 2026 we loaded the websites of about 70 US dance studios named on Akada’s own contact pages and checked where each site sends parents. About 50 still link to Akada. Twelve, roughly one in six, link to other software, and eight of those link to Studio Pro. The rest had dead sites or no registration link.
Read that as a rough snapshot. The sample is small, and we can’t tell when each studio moved. At least one was already on Studio Pro’s old system months before the May FAQ. It does show that most of these studios haven’t moved yet, and that those who have didn’t all go to the same place.
What should you do first?
You don’t need to choose this week. These steps cost little and keep your options open.
- Export your data now. Ask Akada what you can download: families, students, enrollment, balances and payment history. Keep a dated copy whatever you decide. Our guide to switching software without losing data lists what to save.
- Count your autopay families. That number tells you how much a switch could disturb your cash flow.
- Pick your window. Mark recital, registration and the first tuition run of each session, then plan the move for a quiet gap.
- Ask Akada the four questions above, and get the answers in writing.
- Try one alternative with your real class list. A demo shows you the sales path. Your own data shows you the fit.
- Run both systems for one billing cycle. Keep the old one on until the new one has billed everyone correctly once.
- Tell parents once, early and plainly. Give them one date and one thing to do. Our guide to parent communication can help.
What should you ask any software company before switching?
- Who does the import, and exactly what moves?
- Will parents have to enter their saved cards again?
- What will this cost after the first year, and does the price rise with student count?
- What are the card processing fees?
- Can I run this alongside Akada for a billing cycle?
- What date will I be live, in writing?
- If it doesn’t work out, how do I get my data and my money back?
Where does Swyvel fit?
Swyvel is studio management software built for dance. Scheduling, billing, a family portal, messaging and reporting all sit in one place.
- Price: one plan at the founding rate of $49 a month, or $39 a month billed annually, with no per-student fees. Card payments run through Stripe.
- The move: done-for-you data migration. Your student records, billing history and class schedules move over.
- The risk: a 14-day free trial with no card, then a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Saved cards: plan on families adding their card once. We’d rather say that now than surprise you later.
When Swyvel is the wrong choice
If Akada’s features suit you and the $60 rate holds, Studio Pro is a sensible, low-effort move. If you’re in the middle of recital season, wait. And Swyvel is a smaller company than Jackrabbit or Studio Pro, so if a long track record matters most to you, weigh that.
Akada and Studio Pro FAQ
Is Akada shutting down?
Akada has not announced a shutdown date. It says customers will eventually move to Studio Pro and that it will fully support the platform through 2027.
When do I have to leave Akada?
No deadline is public. Akada says it will build a transition plan with each studio, so ask for your own date and get it in writing.
How much will Studio Pro cost Akada customers?
Akada’s FAQ says $60 a month for the Premier plan, against a normal price of $79.99. It doesn’t say how long that rate lasts.
Are Akada and Studio Pro the same company?
They are separate products under one parent. Togetherwork lists both as brands, and Studio Pro was formerly DanceStudio-Pro.
Will parents have to re-enter their credit cards?
Akada’s FAQ doesn’t say. Assume yes until the company you’re moving to confirms otherwise in writing.
Want a second opinion on your move?
Bring your Akada questions to a free walkthrough, or start a 14-day free trial with your own class list.